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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24929725">in a world where you feel cold, you gotta stay gold</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/goldenred/pseuds/goldenred'>goldenred</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Boys Kissing, Everyone Is Alive, First Kiss, Gay, Greasers, Johnny - Freeform, LGBT, LGBTQ, LISTEN TO STAY GOLD BY BTS PLS, M/M, Runaway, Skipping School, Song - Freeform, Song fic, Stay Gold, The Outsiders, after the church fire, dally is alive, gay boys, johnny cade - Freeform, johnny is alive, johnny runs away for a few hours, johnnyboy, kiss, lover boys, outsiders - Freeform, ponyboy, ponyboy &amp; johnny - Freeform, ponyboy curtis - Freeform, ponyboy skips school like ONCE wow, song au, stay gold by bts, they are in love</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 06:13:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,351</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24929725</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/goldenred/pseuds/goldenred</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>song fic (kinda)!! johnny gets discharged from the hospital and deals with learning how to walk properly again, with the gang by his side, of course</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Johnny Cade/Ponyboy Curtis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>66</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>in a world where you feel cold, you gotta stay gold</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hello!! this is my first time attempting to write a song fic, so pls go easy on me 😔 if you have any tips on how to edit it to make it better, do let me know!! enjoy &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <em> <span class="s3">stay gold</span> </em>
</p><p class="p3">
  <em> <span class="s3">even in a dream</span> </em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">ponyboys head hurt when he woke up. he was sick of nightmares. was this ever going to end? his brothers presence beside him calmed him, allowing him to feel safe and remember it was only a dream—a nightmare.</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">he laid himself back down after soda mumbled something along the lines of ‘it’s okay’ and closed his eyes again. his mind wandered the universe of memories he had, he was unable to fall back asleep. he remembered his best friend johnny, he remembered how scared he was when he thought he had died.he also remembered how terrified he had been for dally as they got the phone call from him and ran to hide him from the cops, but he got arrested. </span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">his nightmares werent being friendly to him, especially after johnny nearly died right in front of him, his words before he passed out cold on the bed were always playing in the void of ponyboys mind: “stay gold, ponyboy. stay gold”. maybe once johnny is discharged from the hospital in a few weeks his nightmares will slow down again.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <em> <span class="s3">stay gold</span> </em>
</p><p class="p3">
  <em> <span class="s3">i’ll find you</span> </em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">johnny was discharged, but he couldnt go back home. after refusing his mother in the hospital, he knew only bad awaited him at home. he stayed in the curtis household, the couch there wasnt half bad. </span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">he wasn’t paralyzed like they’d thought he’d be. his legs worked, but he wasnt able to stand or walk for long periods of time. his walking was like limping, and he had a hard time gaining balance, but he could walk.</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">he felt like such a burden. he needed hell standing up just under half the time, and was always clinging to someones side just in case he needed help standing. all he wanted was to live normally again, or not at all. he didnt want to feel this way, he couldnt help it. </span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">he picked himself up off the couch one week after his discharge, 12am, and left the house. he struggled out the door and down the street. hopefully no one would notice he was gone, and if they did, hopefully they didnt find him.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <em> <span class="s3">stay gold, gold</span> </em>
</p><p class="p3">
  <em> <span class="s3">i want to see you</span> </em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">of course they were going to notice. of course they were going to find him. they all knew the gang would fall apart without him, he was part if the family. after a few minutes of confusion, and ponyboy almost crying, darry was forced to call the school and let ponyboy skip the day (after lots of begging) so he could find johnny.</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">sodapop and darry had to work, leaving steve, two-bit, dally and ponyboy to search for him. they all went different ways, and they each had a switchblade with them, preparing for the worst. </span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">ponyboy knew almost every location johnny usually ran off to when he wasnt doing well, so he checked those first. he was still no where. all ponyboy wanted to do was see his best friend. after nearly losing him, he knew he couldnt take actually losing him.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <em> <span class="s3">stay gold</span> </em>
</p><p class="p3">
  <em> <span class="s3">you are everything</span> </em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">johnny slept in an alley near the drive-in, and he covered himself with a hoodie ponyboy had given him previously. he found it hard to sleep on the gravel behind a bush, but he made it work. </span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">by now it was 10 hours since he left. footsteps approached his half unconscious self, he drew more attention to the sound as it grew closer. he felt fear build up within him, he didnt even realize he wasnt breathing. he took a sharp breath and the footsteps stopped.</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">“hello?” a familiar voice sounded from the alley. johnny lifted his head and saw ponyboy standing before him, scouting the other side of the alleyway. he mistakenly moved and the bush made a noise, causing ponyboy to look at him. johnny froze.</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">“oh my god.” ponyboy ran to where johnny was behind the bush and hugged him tightly as they half-laid on the ground, johnnys arms holding them up. “you had me so fuckin’ worried, johnny. dont you ever do that again, please.” ponyboys arms were tight around johnnys shoulders.</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">“i’m sorry.” johnny mumbled and wrapped his arms loosely around the boy.</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">“why? why’d you leave?” </span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">“i. . felt like a burden. i thought it wouldnt matter.” ponyboys body became tense at the words, he lifted his head.</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">“you aint a burden to anyone, johnny. dont ever think that again. you matter to us. you are everything to the gang, you are everything to me.” </span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">johnny whispered his sorrows and hugged ponyboy once more.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <em> <span class="s3">stay gold</span> </em>
</p><p class="p3">
  <em> <span class="s3">for all of you</span> </em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">johnny admitted to everyone that being babied by the gang made him feel as though he was a burden, and they agreed to only help him when he really needed it. they continued to do their best at making him feel included in everything they did, and loved, because he really needed love. </span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">johnny knew he needed to stay happy for them. he knew he needed to stay happy for himself. and so, he was also trying his best. if he wasnt happy, the gang would most likely feel guilty for it, and he hated the thought of that. he would stay happy for them.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <em> <span class="s3">stay gold</span> </em>
</p><p class="p3">
  <em> <span class="s3">my heart will be fascinated </span> </em>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">johnnys body was causing him extra pain today. his walking was getting much better day by day, so he had gone for a walk by himself. bad idea. he began to feel weak when he was almost home, but he pushed himself to complete the walk, and now his legs were killing him.</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">“johnny, you can have my spot on the bed tonight. it might help your pain. better than the lousy couch.” soda said, just before it was time to get to bed. johnny knew he didnt have a choice now, and he knew ponyboy wouldnt mind, so he nodded and said a quick thank you before he headed off to the room. </span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">ponyboy was already in the room. he sat on the bed, back against the headboard, reading one of his many books. he looked up as he heard the squeak of the door open and smiled at the sight of johnny.</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">“soda gave his spot on the bed to me, hope you dont mind.” </span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">ponyboy shook his head, “you know i dont.” he proceeded to finish off the page he was reading and closed the book, setting it down on the side table as johnny climbed into the bed beside him.</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">they shut off the lights and their eyes adjusted to the darkness, the moon shining through the window, giving the room some brightness. </span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">in johnnys tired state, his thoughts came out as words. “pony?” his subconscious spoke outloud.</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">“hm?” </span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">“thank you for helping me get through these months.” johnnys voice was lowered to a whisper, but was still loud enough to hear. </span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">they ended up looking in each others eyes. “i’m doing my best, for you.” pony said, and johnnys heart did something he couldnt explain. </span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">they stared at each other for only a few seconds before ponyboys brain acted for him. pony lifted his fingers and ever so gently placed them on johnnys chin, he felt the soft skin right under his fingertips. adrenaline rushed through ponyboys veins, his nervousness increased at every passing second, and yet he felt comforted by the presence of johnny right in front of him.</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">their faces were so close, both of them enjoying the moments of their lips gravitating towards each other. neither of them moved to stop this from happening, they’ve wanted this for god knows how long.</span>
</p><p class="p3">
  <span class="s2">finally, the soft, cloud like lips that ponyboy had been admiring for so long were touching his own. his eyes closed, he held this moment for as long as he could. their inexperienced lips moved ever so slightly against each others, creating the perfect kiss, better than either of them could have imagined. cloud 9 was within arms reach, their hearts were so fascinated by each other.</span>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p3">
  <em> <span class="s3">stay gold</span> </em>
</p><p class="p3">
  <em> <span class="s3">eternally, forever gold</span> </em>
</p>
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